1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a container and more particularly to a stored-value container.
2. Description of the Related Art
Constantly expanding urbanization gives rise to increasing dining-out demand. To allow customers to have take-out food and drink conveniently and reduce the cost, most restaurants and stores prepare one-time-use disposable food and drink containers. Although disposable food and drink containers have their market demand, enormous amount of discarded disposable containers is the main cause of environmental pollution. In answer to the environmental protection awareness, reusable containers promoted by the government of every country have been gradually accepted by consumers.
When intending to buy a cup of coffee, tea or the like from a store or a restaurant, a consumer can ask a clerk to fill the beverage in a portable reusable container, thereby effectively reducing the use of disposable containers and achieving the purpose of environmental protection.
With reference to FIG. 7, when buying food or beverage from stores or restaurants, consumers are accustomed to paying with cash, a credit card 84, a stored value card 82 or the like. Hence, for the sake of environmental protection, consumers also need to carry a personal reusable container 83 besides cash, credit card, stored value card or the like. However, additional items certainly cause inconvenience when carried along by consumers, and such inconvenience will lower consumers' willingness to use the reusable container 83.
Furthermore, when paying for food or beverage, a consumer usually needs to find a place to put his/her reusable container 83 so as to leave his/her hands free to get the required cash or a stored value card 82 from a wallet or a purse. When paying with a stored value card 82, the consumer further needs to place the stored value card 82 on a sensing device 81 of a cash register machine 80 and put the stored value card 82 back to the wallet or purse after the payment is deducted from the stored value card 82. Meanwhile, the consumer still needs to hand the reusable container 83 to a clerk and finishes the purchasing process until the clerk places the food or fills the beverage in the reusable container 83. However, such purchase involves a busy paying process and keeps reluctant consumers away from the use of the reusable container 83.